Medallions are attached to a variety of products to provide identification of the product or its manufacturer or to provide
available information about the use of the product. Indicia on medallions of this type may include emblems, trade names, artistic designs, slogans or trademarks. This invention is concerned primarily with medallions which provide visually attractive identification of a company or product and which are intended mainly to serve as promotional items to enhance the goodwill of the business which is being identified. Medallions of the type covered by this invention can also be articles for retail sale.
Most medallions of this type consist of a rigid substrate or base member on which some graphic material, such as a decorative design or trademark, are imprinted and over which a transparent cap is mounted. Imprinting graphic matter directly on metal in a manner which will result in a medallion of having a high quality "image" is relatively expensive. As an alternative, the indicia can be imprinted on foil which is then adhered to the metal surface. Furthermore, with a metallic base portion, it has not generally been possible to provide, at reasonably low cost, a medallion with an "in depth" three-dimensional appearance without resorting to a convex bubble-type cap. The use of this type of cap causes distortion of the graphic material when viewed from a side angle, thereby detracting from the high quality "image" sought by its sponsor.
As an alternative, plastic base members have been used with graphic material sandwiched between two layers of hardened thermoplastic resin--see U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,578--but such medallions do not always provide the desired high quality image, particularly when the medallion is used on an article such as a key chain where the medallion is handled directly by the user. Furthermore, many companies or other sponsors prefer metallic articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,388 discusses some of the limiting features of prior art medallions and provides an improved method for applying the desired indicia onto the surface of a metallic substrate. The products have a generally convex transparent cap and do not usually project the desired image of high quality.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,588 relates to decorative emblems having a foil inlay padding with graphic indicia on its upper surface, and a flexible plastic lens cap overlying the inlay. The inlay is bonded to a flexible base member.
Although the medallions disclosed in the prior art may be suitable for their designated purposes, they do not generally provide a high quality corporate image. In order to project such high quality image, it is necessary for the medallion itself to have an appearance of high quality. Thus, in an article such as a key holder which is regularly handled by its user, the company sponsoring such an article as a business gift requires that the article itself have an appearance of quality, thereby enhancing the image of the sponsor. With key holders, there is a practical consideration arising from the fact that keys will strike the medallion and, unless the medallion is made of a high quality substance, there will develop unsightly dents or scratches. It is the primary object of this invention to provide such medallions and articles in which such medallions are the principal decorative and/or identifying features.